A relaxing retreat in the woods is an event that Fairfield University seniors Andrew Caslin and Bobby Schattle look forward to each year. Set at a lakeside lodge surrounded by beautiful fall foliage, this weekend getaway offers an opportunity to take a break from the pressures of college and find peace. Hosted by Campus Ministry, “fall retreat” is a way for students of all class years to connect with one another. Relaxing, making new friends and taking a moment to reflect in a scenic location is an event that Caslin and Schattle hold near and dear to their hearts.
Both Caslin and Schattle are active members of Campus Ministry, a club that focuses on service, community and faith. When asked about their favorite part of being in this club, both of the seniors immediately answered with “fall retreat.”
Caslin fondly recalls fall retreat as a great way to “connect with each other, connect with nature, and connect with yourself.”
In addition to the autumn getaway, Campus Ministry hosts a first-year-only retreat, an upperclassman retreat and “Kairos,” a retreat open to all class years that students can run.
Like Kairos, fall retreat is also open to all class years. “It’s an overnight retreat at a retreat center an hour away from campus in the woods,” Schattle describes, “and it’s just so fun.”
Schattle notes that students don’t have to be Catholic or religious to attend these retreats. He emphasizes that Campus Ministry is a great way for students to come together to reflect and form new bonds.
Along with hosting retreats, Campus Ministry also enables students to become involved in serving Mass. Both Caslin and Schattle have gotten involved in liturgical ministry, which entails preparing for and serving Mass at Fairfield’s Egan Chapel.
Schattle is a “lead team” member of the liturgical ministry, a group of about six individuals who train community members on serving Mass. In addition to this, Schattle shares that the lead team “plans an overnight retreat in the fall and a day retreat in the spring.”
Caslin credits Campus Ministry for being a welcoming space for like-minded individuals. “A lot of people find friends here,” he shares, “no one is ever off sitting at Mass by themselves. It’s a very inclusive community.”
Schattle echoes this sentiment and says that the bonds he has made through Campus Ministry are some of the strongest connections he has made in college. “These people are not just friends when it comes time to do club stuff, we are friends for real. We hang out, we do stuff on the weekends together.” Schattle loves surrounding himself with friends who have the same interests and values. “The people in Campus Ministry have a sense of excitement about their faith which makes me and other people want to keep practicing it,” he expresses.
Caslin joined Campus Ministry during his sophomore year and admits that he wishes he had joined earlier. He recalls walking past the Campus Ministry booth at his sophomore year club fair and it reminded him of when he was a sacristan in high school. This experience inspired him to get involved in Campus Ministry and reconnect with his faith in college.
Schattle, on the other hand, got involved with Campus Ministry right away. He attended an all-boys Catholic high school and felt called to “keep his faith alive in college.”
Campus Ministry hosts meetings every other Sunday directly following the 7:30 p.m. Mass for students who are looking to get more involved. This year, they are kickstarting a program called “Mass Buddies” that allows students to find friends to walk to Mass with each week. Schattle and Caslin also emphasize the importance of service and note that there is an international service trip coming up over winter break.
Overall, Caslin and Schattle are grateful that Campus Ministry has provided them with an opportunity to relax, reflect, and reconnect with their faith in college
“I like that it gives an outlet for mindfulness at the beginning of the week,” Caslin shares, referring to the popular student-run Mass at 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Schattle agrees with this, adding “It’s kept me rooted in my faith in college, whereas many people who were faithful before may fall off in college with that sense of independence.”
As they continue their senior year, Caslin and Schattle are looking forward to enjoying their last Campus Ministry retreats and service experiences with their closest friends.
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